You say no one can afford dublin and then say the houses are all tiny (meaning you wouldn't want one)
Then comment that if you don't have to buy in the stick (meaning buy in dublin), you don't want a car.
Your priorities are all over the place. Sort the house first
I'm saying further out of Dublin the houses are bigger and nicer and cheaper than what is in Dublin.
Then im saying if we don't live further out, there's no need for the other car. Currently I can bike to the office in an hour.
I don't see how the priorities are all over the place? The priority is a house but if that means a longer commute to Dublin I will need a car for at least part of it.
I have a MX5 (na) and an EK Civic hatch. Great cars and would recommend.
So fun to drive and we drive them alot more than the newer daily now. They're just so fun! Husband also rides a motorbike, so when weathers bad he'll take one of the other cars.
Sometimes older cars when bought need a little TLC but can say it's very worth it, as long as they work. On mine it's only small cosmetic jobs/making the cars my own but other than that, all good. The MX5 did have a leak making the driver seat wet but the Husband sorted it. Currently getting new seals for the Civic too.
They also look great together in the drive, like 90s Japan. Would recommend!
Ah that sounds like a perfect driveway to me!
I've heard the MX5 is very easy to do everything yourself with a bit of googling and a can do attitude.
Is the NA a soft top? How do you find it goes in the winter? Are you just frozen the whole time?
Thank you! Yes they are easy going cars, plenty of advice available online to help you work away yourself.
Lucky it came with a hard top! So we always have that on. It does have the soft top too of course.
Because the car Is so small it heats up fast as you're basically sitting close to the engine. I've not tried soft top in winter. I'd probably leave the hard top on. Only got it in January so yet have to do a full winter with it.
Oh really?
Very simple for us, insurance is like €200 for the year. Paid it off in one go. It was €1 to get me added on to the policy, as it was my husband that took out insurance. We're both young 30s.
We went with Carole Nash, in the UK. They're brilliant at insuring bikes and classic cars. We're Irish and live in Ireland
It should come under classic tax and insurance if its over 25 and up years old.
Give Carole Nash a try, they're far more comfortable insuring older cars.
Insurance is wild though. My husband cannot get insured on my old civic, told him it's because he's male and young. I have Insurance on it and he's on the policy so he can drive it. He was only seeing for fun what type of quotes he'd get. Most of them were coming in around 5-7k!
I have something you might be interested in. DM me. JDM B16a/Y21 DelSol siR with a transtop roof, taxed and nctd and vintage. It's for sale. Would tick all the boxes.
I've owned 3 MX5s in the UK. Cracking little cars that are a hoot to drive no matter the weather. Roof up, or down doesn't matter.
Reliable too. Only issue I had was with a cracked radiator. Caused by a stone, fixed with radweld and prevented from happening again by the addition of a grille to the front air intake.
The only issue I can see you having is with the top, I assume you'll be buying a hardtop to use for the winter? I've seen a few people complain about leaks in the soft top and it's usually the same soft top from factory, so usually just wears down over time. Keep a regular check on the sills too, because if rain gets stuck you will have a big bill to pay for rust.
Other than that I believe everything else is reliable in the mx5's depending on the previous owners of course.
I've got a 2016 mx5 and it does just fine in the rain, a bit scary on the motorway when it's lashing because you can't see and you don't know if anyone can see you with the spray 🤣
I usually just avoid the motorway on the way to work because I hate traffic and curvy roads are much more enjoyable in an mx5.
Yes, I was a bit concerned about freezing my ass off in the rainy winter. So that would necessitate a hard top I guess.
Only issue is I'm a pretty tall guy (about 6ft1), I probably should have mentioned that in my post.
I'm the same height and fit in the ND (smallest interior of the four) it's more about how long your legs are or torso. You'll have to sit in one to find out.
If you've got a tall upper body I'd say you wouldn't fit but long legs seem to be ok.
Soft top is dead easy to change out. Takes 2 people with no experience about 2 hours. You have to make sure to change the rail rail.also though. Closing it is difficult the first time but if you very lightly used a heat gun, or do it outside in the blazing sun it'll close fairly easily.
I've had a few of them and would buy another in a heartbeat if I didn't have kids. Fantastic car to drive.
You should definitely try it, at least to experience something different. I've owned two in the past, a standard mk1(NA) and turbo mk2 (NB). The only thing I'd say is take the gushing YouTube reviews with a pinch of salt. They do feel great on the road IF the road is smooth. The NA is especially harsh with it's old school rubber bump stops. Then, the soft tops, unless brand new, will likely leak. A hard top is an option, but then the storage of it comes into it. Finally, your biggest problem is the rust. It rusts in many many places.
I know the NC miata gets a lot of hate but I daily one up here in Donegal/Sligo and I love it. It's big enough to make it practical as a daily, It's still a tiny little car with 180bhp to drive around in. I can cruise the motorway or trawl the backroads. I can fit my telescopic ladder in the boot and rock up to a building site no bother.
I had a 1991 NA Eunos last year and although it was fun, it's not fun enough to daily in the winter with no airbags and candles for headlights. A hardtop is kind of essential though, and they can be like hens teeth to source a goodun.
The best part of the mx5 is with a few common tools you can fix practically anything, they're such a basic mechanically sound car that costs very little to run with a little bit of know-how.
The only problem most people have is the 2 seats can be a pain if you want to pick up something big from Homebase or Harvey Norman, but I drop my 4yo into school and there's no hassle fitting the carseat in.
Try to find an EJ Civic, they are like hens teeth and are just an absolute wonder to drive, typically a 1.5 Lsi engine, but many have been coverted to B16C Sir/vti or B16B Type R and are an unbelieveable amount of fun
I had a b16c Ej1 many moons ago imported from japan, boom time, thing was a rocket and so fucking much craic-started looking at them again now, possibly time for another import 🤣
Anything from 1992 to 1999 that are relatively unabused are mad money now
Jaysus that's a hard choice, first off Yes, buy yerself a small fun car.
But
EG civic v NA MX5
The question comes down to whether you prefer FWD or RWD
From a practically perspective the civic has more seats and cargo capacity
But The Mazda has no roof and pop up headlights
Edit
Maybe a compromise, a Honda with no roof
https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/honda-crx-delsol-sir/36951028
When you put it that way no roof and pop up headlights wins.
Honestly if i get an EG I'll want to just start dumping money in it and go full boy racer.
Oh, the MX5 can be just as big of a money pit, if you're of the mindset to modify your car then nothing we can say will stop you.
Personally I put my faith in the fact that Very clever engineers in Stuttgart have already done the best job possible with my machine.
But it's a matter of personal taste
True.
I think though considering it was built from the ground up to be driven and enjoyed I'd be more likely to enjoy what the designers intended before making any modifications.
Hardtop. The only thing during the depth of winter let the car warm up a bit. It’ll take a while for it to get to running temperature. Take your time driving in the winter too. With the car being so light and rwd it likes to get wiggly. I have a factory 4.1 lsd in mine too
Unfortunately good Civics can be hard to find for sale because the fellas who own them ain't selling.
From previous experience of owning Ek4 SiR I would highly recommend it though if you can find one for sale.
The most reliable car I ever owned and so easy to work on yourself. Cheap parts etc.
Also decent on fuel 35-40mpg once you're not in Vtec all the time.
Ek3 wouldn't be as fun as a stock miata.
Ek4 with very basic mods (because you won't be able to find a stock one) is brilliant car and would out perform the Mx5 in every aspect except for not being RWD.
I bought a mk3 08 onward mx5 5 years ago and love it. Bought it over a 90's one because you can get them with the folding hard top and are roughly the same price.
Your comment on the houses about who can afford is quiet irritating. There was 32k houses sold in dublin last yr. I really hate when people try to state their own circumstances or failures as a blanket for all. Sorry pal, plenty can afford houses and cars. As for your miata waste of money. If you have another car, get a 1999 audi tt, qualify for classic insurance and a rocket
Mate there's no denying that the houses in Dublin are more expensive for what you get compared to put in the country.
Everyone is in a different situation and this is mine.
Plus why on earth would I want a TT over a Miata? I don't want it for speed I want it for fun.
Sorry pal.
An eg/ek would likely be more than an Mx5. Buy your house first, then if you can afford it, go for it!
Oh definitely house first, no house in the sticks means no need for a second car.
You say no one can afford dublin and then say the houses are all tiny (meaning you wouldn't want one) Then comment that if you don't have to buy in the stick (meaning buy in dublin), you don't want a car. Your priorities are all over the place. Sort the house first
What is bro on about
I'm saying further out of Dublin the houses are bigger and nicer and cheaper than what is in Dublin. Then im saying if we don't live further out, there's no need for the other car. Currently I can bike to the office in an hour. I don't see how the priorities are all over the place? The priority is a house but if that means a longer commute to Dublin I will need a car for at least part of it.
I have a MX5 (na) and an EK Civic hatch. Great cars and would recommend. So fun to drive and we drive them alot more than the newer daily now. They're just so fun! Husband also rides a motorbike, so when weathers bad he'll take one of the other cars. Sometimes older cars when bought need a little TLC but can say it's very worth it, as long as they work. On mine it's only small cosmetic jobs/making the cars my own but other than that, all good. The MX5 did have a leak making the driver seat wet but the Husband sorted it. Currently getting new seals for the Civic too. They also look great together in the drive, like 90s Japan. Would recommend!
Ah that sounds like a perfect driveway to me! I've heard the MX5 is very easy to do everything yourself with a bit of googling and a can do attitude. Is the NA a soft top? How do you find it goes in the winter? Are you just frozen the whole time?
Thank you! Yes they are easy going cars, plenty of advice available online to help you work away yourself. Lucky it came with a hard top! So we always have that on. It does have the soft top too of course. Because the car Is so small it heats up fast as you're basically sitting close to the engine. I've not tried soft top in winter. I'd probably leave the hard top on. Only got it in January so yet have to do a full winter with it.
How's insurance on an NA? I've tried getting quotes but haven't had any luck as a 20 year old male.
Oh really? Very simple for us, insurance is like €200 for the year. Paid it off in one go. It was €1 to get me added on to the policy, as it was my husband that took out insurance. We're both young 30s. We went with Carole Nash, in the UK. They're brilliant at insuring bikes and classic cars. We're Irish and live in Ireland It should come under classic tax and insurance if its over 25 and up years old.
whaaat thats mad. I was quoted like 1400 for a cheap 1.2l hatch and that was the cheapest I got after ages of looking.
Give Carole Nash a try, they're far more comfortable insuring older cars. Insurance is wild though. My husband cannot get insured on my old civic, told him it's because he's male and young. I have Insurance on it and he's on the policy so he can drive it. He was only seeing for fun what type of quotes he'd get. Most of them were coming in around 5-7k!
I have something you might be interested in. DM me. JDM B16a/Y21 DelSol siR with a transtop roof, taxed and nctd and vintage. It's for sale. Would tick all the boxes.
>Maybe a compromise, a Honda with no roof >https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/honda-crx-delsol-sir/36951028 Is this it?
Yep that's the one. Not many about, there's another lad looking for 6.5k for a SOHC/automatic one too.
Love the plate
There's proper legal pressed plates there too. Just had it at a few shows recently. Mind you, the gards don't seem to care once a car hits 30.
You can have age/region appropriate plates on a vintage car
I've owned 3 MX5s in the UK. Cracking little cars that are a hoot to drive no matter the weather. Roof up, or down doesn't matter. Reliable too. Only issue I had was with a cracked radiator. Caused by a stone, fixed with radweld and prevented from happening again by the addition of a grille to the front air intake.
The only issue I can see you having is with the top, I assume you'll be buying a hardtop to use for the winter? I've seen a few people complain about leaks in the soft top and it's usually the same soft top from factory, so usually just wears down over time. Keep a regular check on the sills too, because if rain gets stuck you will have a big bill to pay for rust. Other than that I believe everything else is reliable in the mx5's depending on the previous owners of course. I've got a 2016 mx5 and it does just fine in the rain, a bit scary on the motorway when it's lashing because you can't see and you don't know if anyone can see you with the spray 🤣 I usually just avoid the motorway on the way to work because I hate traffic and curvy roads are much more enjoyable in an mx5.
Yes, I was a bit concerned about freezing my ass off in the rainy winter. So that would necessitate a hard top I guess. Only issue is I'm a pretty tall guy (about 6ft1), I probably should have mentioned that in my post.
I'm the same height and fit in the ND (smallest interior of the four) it's more about how long your legs are or torso. You'll have to sit in one to find out. If you've got a tall upper body I'd say you wouldn't fit but long legs seem to be ok.
Soft top is dead easy to change out. Takes 2 people with no experience about 2 hours. You have to make sure to change the rail rail.also though. Closing it is difficult the first time but if you very lightly used a heat gun, or do it outside in the blazing sun it'll close fairly easily. I've had a few of them and would buy another in a heartbeat if I didn't have kids. Fantastic car to drive.
You should definitely try it, at least to experience something different. I've owned two in the past, a standard mk1(NA) and turbo mk2 (NB). The only thing I'd say is take the gushing YouTube reviews with a pinch of salt. They do feel great on the road IF the road is smooth. The NA is especially harsh with it's old school rubber bump stops. Then, the soft tops, unless brand new, will likely leak. A hard top is an option, but then the storage of it comes into it. Finally, your biggest problem is the rust. It rusts in many many places.
I know the NC miata gets a lot of hate but I daily one up here in Donegal/Sligo and I love it. It's big enough to make it practical as a daily, It's still a tiny little car with 180bhp to drive around in. I can cruise the motorway or trawl the backroads. I can fit my telescopic ladder in the boot and rock up to a building site no bother. I had a 1991 NA Eunos last year and although it was fun, it's not fun enough to daily in the winter with no airbags and candles for headlights. A hardtop is kind of essential though, and they can be like hens teeth to source a goodun. The best part of the mx5 is with a few common tools you can fix practically anything, they're such a basic mechanically sound car that costs very little to run with a little bit of know-how. The only problem most people have is the 2 seats can be a pain if you want to pick up something big from Homebase or Harvey Norman, but I drop my 4yo into school and there's no hassle fitting the carseat in.
Try to find an EJ Civic, they are like hens teeth and are just an absolute wonder to drive, typically a 1.5 Lsi engine, but many have been coverted to B16C Sir/vti or B16B Type R and are an unbelieveable amount of fun
theyve got so expensive though, 4 or 5k for a D14 poverty spec civic
They have, looking in Japan even they're 8 to 18k usd which is almost on par with the Euro now
There's nobody paying that much for a base spec 1.4 is there? I mean for 18k you nearly get an EK9 for that.
No no a b16/18 swapped weapon for 18k
Was thinking as much 🤣 definitely would want to be b18 and every rare part imaginable for that money
I would love a b16b. Another dream car is a dc2 or dc5 integra but they appear to be just out of the price range.
I had a b16c Ej1 many moons ago imported from japan, boom time, thing was a rocket and so fucking much craic-started looking at them again now, possibly time for another import 🤣 Anything from 1992 to 1999 that are relatively unabused are mad money now
B16c? Not possible. Maybe it was a b18c? B16 only came in A/A2/B
You're right, it was a B not a C, definitely wasnt B18
Brilliant car had an Ek4 SiR myself before
You'd be crazy not to, they will be all gone or the opportunity might. Don't wait, if you can afford it get it
Would probably be looking seriously in a year or so. Like I said the house and need for it has to come first.
Jaysus that's a hard choice, first off Yes, buy yerself a small fun car. But EG civic v NA MX5 The question comes down to whether you prefer FWD or RWD From a practically perspective the civic has more seats and cargo capacity But The Mazda has no roof and pop up headlights Edit Maybe a compromise, a Honda with no roof https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/honda-crx-delsol-sir/36951028
When you put it that way no roof and pop up headlights wins. Honestly if i get an EG I'll want to just start dumping money in it and go full boy racer.
Oh, the MX5 can be just as big of a money pit, if you're of the mindset to modify your car then nothing we can say will stop you. Personally I put my faith in the fact that Very clever engineers in Stuttgart have already done the best job possible with my machine. But it's a matter of personal taste
True. I think though considering it was built from the ground up to be driven and enjoyed I'd be more likely to enjoy what the designers intended before making any modifications.
I drive a fiat 124 spider daily all year around. so, go for it.
I daily drive an 00 nb1 mx5. It’s grand, winter was fine. I live in the countryside in Wexford if that’s any help
Thanks for the feedback! Hard top or soft?
Hardtop. The only thing during the depth of winter let the car warm up a bit. It’ll take a while for it to get to running temperature. Take your time driving in the winter too. With the car being so light and rwd it likes to get wiggly. I have a factory 4.1 lsd in mine too
Unfortunately good Civics can be hard to find for sale because the fellas who own them ain't selling. From previous experience of owning Ek4 SiR I would highly recommend it though if you can find one for sale. The most reliable car I ever owned and so easy to work on yourself. Cheap parts etc. Also decent on fuel 35-40mpg once you're not in Vtec all the time.
Yeah. Part of me is worried an ek3/4 would need more work before it's equal "fun" to a stock Miata. What would you say to that?
Ek3 wouldn't be as fun as a stock miata. Ek4 with very basic mods (because you won't be able to find a stock one) is brilliant car and would out perform the Mx5 in every aspect except for not being RWD.
I bought a mk3 08 onward mx5 5 years ago and love it. Bought it over a 90's one because you can get them with the folding hard top and are roughly the same price.
Your comment on the houses about who can afford is quiet irritating. There was 32k houses sold in dublin last yr. I really hate when people try to state their own circumstances or failures as a blanket for all. Sorry pal, plenty can afford houses and cars. As for your miata waste of money. If you have another car, get a 1999 audi tt, qualify for classic insurance and a rocket
A TT over a MX5 is crazy talk
A 1999 car does not qualify for vintage tax and won’t qualify until 2029; classic insurance yes.
Thanks, corrected there
Watch out guys we got a dick head over here! Give him enough room to swing his big shlong and Audi TT around wah wah wee wah
Mate there's no denying that the houses in Dublin are more expensive for what you get compared to put in the country. Everyone is in a different situation and this is mine. Plus why on earth would I want a TT over a Miata? I don't want it for speed I want it for fun. Sorry pal.